Israel strikes southern Lebanon as ceasefire faces turmoil
Israel’s military launched fresh airstrikes on southern Lebanon on March 22nd, after it said it intercepted three rockets from Lebanon, threatening a fragile truce, Politico reported.
The Israeli military claimed in a statement that the strikes had targeted dozens of rocket launchers.
Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed political group, has denied responsibility and reaffirmed its commitment to the ceasefire.
Two people are confirmed to have been killed and eight others have been injured by the strikes.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged for restraint and cautioned against “a new war which would be devastating for Lebanon”.
The intensification comes days after Israel restarted its air assault on Gaza. It comes as Israel faces a judicial and political crisis after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to remove the head of the Israeli domestic intelligence service.
Israeli’s military reported on the evening of March 21st that it had killed the head of Hamas’ military intelligence in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military said it had intercepted three rockets in the north Israeli town of Metula and there were no reported casualties according to BBC News.
The Lebanese military said it had dismantled “three primitive rocket launchers” in the south and its defence minister said an investigation had begun into the assault.
The occurrences put pressure on the shaky ceasefire, brokered by the US and France, finishing over a year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Politico, BBC
